Klarinet Archive - Posting 000532.txt from 1998/02

From: Roger Shilcock <roger.shilcock@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: The Primitive Early Clarinet
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 1998 03:52:28 -0500

Something at the back of my mind says there have been military bassoons in
B flat. There have certainly been oboes in high E flat.
Roger Shilcock

On Wed, 11 Feb 1998, Edwin V. Lacy wrote:

> Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 14:34:02 -0600 (CST)
> From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.edu>
> Reply-To: klarinet@-----.us
> To: leeson@-----.us
> Subject: Re: The Primitive Early Clarinet
>
> On Tue, 10 Feb 1998, Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu wrote:
>
> > Is there an oboe in D or a bassoon in B-flat?
>
> There is an oboe in A (the oboe d'amore) and one in F (the English horn),
> and there are bassoons (actually tenoroons) in F and G.
>
> > the addition of touchpieces to instruments that overblow an octave, such
> > as the oboe, flute, and bassoon, is a different and more easily-solved
> > technical problem then the addition of touchpieces to an instrument
> > which overblows a twelfth, such as the clarinet. Specifically, it is
> > more difficult to modify a clarinet and still retain satisfactory
> > intonation and sound character at intervals of a twelfth.
>
> Assuming that the term "touchpiece" refers to a register key, you and I
> have discussed on previous occasions. Perhaps you're right, but I'm
> inclined to doubt it. Still, I'm willing to be convinced if anyone who
> has dealt with this problem in the course of making clarinets will say
> that it is more difficult on the clarinet and tell why that is the case.
> Since the saxophone has two register vents and the oboe has three or four
> (both being octave-overblowing instruments), and since both of these
> instruments are far from acoustically perfect, then I can't see how the
> assertion can be supported that the octave overblown instruments have an
> inherent advantage with regard to a superior register mechanism.
>
> > Ask any serious clarinet player "Why do multiply-pitched clarinets
> > exist?" and the answer will almost certainly be "Because the early
> > clarinet was primitive."
>
> I guess I don't qualify as a "serious clarinet player," because that's not
> my answer to the question. Mine is, "because that's the way it has always
> been done, and musicians are extremely tradition-bound." Do we have to
> have more of a reason than that?
>
> Ed Lacy
> *****************************************************************
> Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
> Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
> Evansville, IN 47722
> el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
> *****************************************************************
>
>
>

   
     Copyright © Woodwind.Org, Inc. All Rights Reserved    Privacy Policy    Contact charette@woodwind.org